Wool dyeing process



37 Int. Cl. D06p 1/82, 3/14 US. Cl. 8--54 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A process for dyeing wool by padding the wool in an aqueous solution of .a water soluble wool dyestuif and fixing the dyestufl on the fiber by steaming wherein the padding solution contains at least 1% by weight of an alkali metal dodecylbenzene sulphonate and at least 1% by weight of .a condensate of ethylene oxide with an alkyl phenol.

This invention relates to a new wool dyeing process and more particularly to a new process for dyeing wool in a continuous manner.

When wool is dyed from an aqueous dyebath, the dyestuff is quickly absorbed into the wool in an irregular manner. It has therefore long been the practice to boil the wool in the dyebath, either slightly or strongly on the acid side, this treatment serving to redistribute the dyestuit in a more even manner throughout the wool. One of the difliculties encountered in attempting to dye wool in a continuous manner is to obtain dyeings of a satisfactory levelness without subjecting the wool to a long boil in an acid bath.

It has now been found that dyeings of a satisfactory standard of levelness can be obtained on wool in a continuous dyeing process by the use of a mixture of certain surface-active agents. In accordance with the invention there is provided a process for dyeing wool by padding the wool in an aqueous solution of a water-soluble wool dyestuff and fixing the dyestuff on the fibre by steaming, wherein the padding solution contains at least 1% by weight of an alkali metal dodecylbenzene sulphonate and at least 1% by weight of a condensate of ethylene oxide with an alkyl phenol.

The alkali metal dedecyl benzene sulphonate used in the process is preferably the sodium salt; it is to be understood that by dodecylbenzene sulphonate there are included the commercially available materials of this name which are not pure substances but mixtures of homologues and isomers in which the main constituents are dodecylbenzene sulphonates in which the dodecyl radical can be straight chain or branched. The normal range of usage of this assistant lies between 1% and 5% by weight of the padding liquor.

The preferred condensates of ethylene oxide with an alkyl phenol are those in which from 5 to 15, and more particularly 7.5 to moles of ethylene oxide, condensed with an alkyl phenol in which the alkyl radical or alkyl radicals contain from 5 to 12 carbon atoms, above all those having an octyl or nonyl radical, for example, an octyl or: nonyl phenol or an octyl cresol. The normal range of usage of this assistant lies between 1% and 20% by weight of the padding liquor.

To ensure absence of alkali and hence reduce the possibility of degradation of the wool during steaming, it is preferred to add a small amount of an acid, e.g., acetic acid, to the padding liquor; as an alternative to acid there United States Patent 3,469,930 Patented Sept. 30, 1969 r: CC

can be used salts well-known as equivalents thereto in dyemg wool, for example ammonium sulphate, ammonium acetate and ammonium phosphate. A suitable quantity of acid or salt is, for example, from 0.5 to 2% by weight of the padding liquor. In addition there can be added other well-known adjuvants to dyestufi padding solutions, as used for the dyeing of other fibers, for example, thickeners such as sodium alginate and solubilismg agents, such as urea.

The new dyeing process can be used. to apply all kinds of wool dyestuffs to the fibre; for example, anthraquinone, monoazo, 1:1-meta1 complex monoazo and 1:2-metal complex monoazo dyestuffs having up to 2 sulphonic acid groups, can, in general, be used. As fibres which may be dyed there may be mentioned combed slivers, also fabrics, both knitted and woven piece goods.

The new dyeing process can conveniently be carried out by slop-padding the wool through. the dyestuff solutron, removing excess of solution by passage through rollers and subjecting the wool to a steaming treatment for aperiod of time necessary to fix the dyestutf on the fibre, usually from 15 to 30 minutes being sufficient.

The process of the invention enables the production of strong, dyeings of an excellent standard of levelness, much superior to those obtained by the use of an alkali metal dodecyl benzene sulphonate alone or an ethylene oxide/alkyl phenol condensate alone.

' The following examples illustrate but do not limit the invention:

Example 1 W001 slubbing is passed through a solution at 20 C. containing 10 parts of the mixed 1:2-chromium complex of 1-(5'-chloro-2-hydroxyphenylazo)-2-naphthol and 6- (4-nitro 2'-hydroxyphenylazo)2-acryloylamino-5-naphthol-7-sulphonic acid, 10 parts of a condensate of 9.5 moles of ethylene oxide with nonyl phenol, 10 parts of sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate and 7.5 parts of sodium alginate per 1000 parts of liquor, and then wrung out to a liquid content of on the dry weight of wool. It is then passed into a chamber heated to 100 C. with steam and steamed for 20 minutes. A level brown dyeing free from surface frostiness is produced.

If 10 parts of Carbolan Violet Z'RS (Colour Index No. 62,165-C.I. Acid Violet 51) is used in place of the above dyestuff, a level violet dyeing is produced.

Example 2 Parts Carbolan V1olent ZRS 10 Alkyl/phenol condensate used in Example 1 40 Sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate 40 Sodium alginate 5 Acetic acid 5 Water 900 Wool slubbing is passed at 50 C. through this solution and then through a pair of rollers to give a pickup of 100% by the material followed by steaming for 15 minutes at 102 C. A level well penetrated dyeing results.

The 5 parts of sodium alginate can be replaced equally by 5 parts of carboxymethyl cellulose, and the 5 parts of acetic acid can be equally replaced by 20 parts of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate. In place of the alkyl/ phenol condensate, there can be used the condensate of 3 4 octyl phenol with 7.5 or 8.5 moles of ethylene oxide, a Example 6 similar result being obtained. Parts Mixed 1:2-chromium complex of 4-nitro-2-amino- Example 3 phenol 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone and 4- Parts nitro-2-aminophenol 2 acetylamino 8 naph- Dyestufl of the formula* l thOl-6-sulph0nic acid Modified locust bean gum such as Indalca A 5 Modified locust bean gum 5 Ammonium dihydrogen orthophosphate 10 Ammonium sulphate 10 Alkylphenol condensate used in Example 1 28 Alkylphenol condensate used in Example 1 16 Sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate (60%) 18 10 Sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate (60%) 10 Water 929 Water 954 Formula /N OH 01 HO3S-NH-C \CNH N= -C=(|J l1 ii I N-S0aI-I SOBH o 0=N l l I O1 Wool slubbing is passed at 20 C. through this solu- Wool slubbing is padded through this solution at 50 tion and then through a pair of rollers to give a liquid C. and squeezed to give 100% pick-up and is then steamed content of 100% on the dry weight of wool, followed for 15 minutes at 100 C. A level brown dyeing results. by steaming for 25 minutes at 100 C. A level yellow dyeing free from surface frostiness results. Example 7 Parts Example 4 1:2-chromium complex of the dyestufi of for- Parts 1 1= 15 Dyestuif of the formula* 5 Sodium alginate 5 sodn'lm a'lgmate 3 Ammonium dihydrogen phosphate 15 Acetlc acld 7 Alkylphenol condensate used in Example 1 40 Alkyl phenol condensate used in Example 1 l6 Sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate 16 o Sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate (60%) 10 Water 909 Water 959 1,000 I. 1,000 *Foi-mula *Formula 40 0H OH O NH: i u

T n G 00.001115 0 NH- S0sl;i

N\ SOzCH I IHO 0-01 Wool slubbing is padded through this solution at 20 1 l C., squeezed to give 100% pick-up and is then steamed for 25 minutes at 102 C. A level brown dyeing free from surface frostiness results. C1

Example 8 e Parts Pad Wool slubbing at 20 C. to 100% pick-up, steam o Dyestufi of the formula 40 for 15 minutes at 102 C. A level blue dyeing 1s produced. Modified locust bean gum 5 Alkylphenol condensate used in Example 1 40 Example 5 Sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate 16 7 Parts Chromium fluoride 50 Dyestuff of the formula* 15 Acetic acid Sodium alginate 5 Water 3 9 Acetic acid 8 Alkylphenol condensate used in Example 1 40 1,000 Sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate (60%) 26 Water 906 5 I Formula 111 t 3-SOH .2 (Coppel PM u ocyrlmne) 23SOZNECH2CIEC1)1.5(3-SO2NLI2)1.3 7O

IEIO S0311 Worsted serge is passed at 30 C. through the solution, squeezed to 100% expression and steamed for 25 min- Wool slubbing is padded in this solutlon to 100% exutes at 102 C. A level, Well-penetrated blue dyeing is pression and steamed for 30 minutes at 102 C. A level produced. black dyeing is produced.

The 10 parts of acetic acid may be replaced equally well by 20 parts of oxalic acid.

We claim:

1. A process for dyeing wool by padding the wool in an aqueous acidic solution of a water-soluble wool dyestufi and fixing the dyestufi. on the fibre by steaming, wherein the padding solution contains at least 1% by weight of an alkali metal dodecylbenzene sulphonate and at least 1% by weight of a condensate of ethylene oxide with an alkyl phenol wherein there are from 5 to 15 moles 10 of ethylene oxide per mole of alkyl phenol.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the alkyl phenol has 5 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl moiety.

3. A process as claimed in claim 2 wherein there is used a condensate of from 7.5 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide with a phenol selected from the group consisting of octyl phenol and nonyl phenol.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1968 Millson et al. 7/ 1968 Furbuchen et al.

NORMAN G. TORCHIN, Primary Examiner I. E. CALLAGHAN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 8-90, 92 

